The Darker Shades
by kay-felis
Summary: While on a mission to wipe out a terrorist camp Captain America finds a sobbing Bruce Banner covered in blood and surrounded by carnage. After the mission both Avengers are put on reserve to give them some time off. While on leave Steve and Bruce become close while going over the darker shades of their pasts. /There is gore and some heavy language, more warnings inside if needed./


**So this is my first fic ever. I write a lot but nothing like this. I hope you enjoy it. Also I would really like some feed back. Thank you!**

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><p>As he stood there he knew that there was no hope for him. The only sounds he heard were the blood dripping steadily off of his hands, and the ragged breathing of the man he had just attacked as he lay dying before him. Those harsh breaths becoming low, barely audible. Until they were finally silenced.<p>

Bruce slowly wrapped himself in his arms and began to shake with sobs, sinking to the floor. He was truly a monster. The man beside him only one of the many people he has slaughtered as the "other guy". People misunderstand his acts of violence for heroism. They call him a hero because he destroys the evil and wicked, but they are only mirrors of himself. What these men have done is nothing compared to the countless atrocities he has committed in the name of heroism.

"Captain there has been no sign of the Hulk, Sir." The super soldier's face was grim at hearing the news. He knew what it meant. "Damn it..."

The young cadet in front of him looked puzzled. "Sir? Is everything okay?"

Steve shook himself out of his stupor. "Yes, everything is fine. Tell Lt. Gillem that I am going to search for the Hul... Bruce." With a slight nod of his head he was off. He quickly walked through the camp and began his trek through the dense jungle. The blond knew the drop site had been roughly ten miles north of the main S.H.I.E.L.D. camp. He quickly ran through the dense brush of the jungle. His thoughts racing to the past.

People saw Captain America as a saint, a beacon of hope during the war. He and his team were the best the Allies had to offer. They crushed the evil organization known as Hydra, ripping through their forces. Those missions always made the front page back on the home front. The other missions assigned to them were not as inspiring. He remembered the screams of the families they rounded up like sheep to work in factories until they were too weak and then they did the tests. They called them the X-Gene Experiments. Nearly all the people involved had horrible deaths. They were the families of evil men, but they were mostly innocent. Even after finding out what happened to them, Steve and his team continued the round ups. Some would defend their actions saying they were just following orders. What choice did they have? He was different, he was Captain America, he had a say. But he never said a word. Until this day he thinks of those people he forced into a slaughterhouse. All in the name of freedom.

Steve's thoughts slowly became aware of the present as he neared what looked like the broken remains of the terrorist's camp. The buildings were nothing but piles of rubble, mangled bodies littered the surrounding area. Steve shuddered as the echo of the battle played through his mind. He had seen the Hulk in action before and his stomach would threaten to revolt every time he thought of it. He slowly made his way through the carnage towards the one building not completely destroyed.

Entering through a crumbled wall he made his way through the rooms, coming to a halt in the doorway of the last room. There on the floor with his knees drawn to his face was Bruce Banner, naked and covered in the blood of his enemies. The knot in the Captain's throat only grew as he heard the sobs.

"Br-Bruce." There were no other words he could think to say. He began to slowly approach his friend, but paused at the broken remains of a man in front of him. Everything below the man's abdomen was nothing but a smear of deep crimson. Steve shook his head as he stepped over the body, coming closer to Bruce.

"Bruce, we need to leave. We need to go-"

"NO!" Bruce threw his head back to look at Roger's eyes. His voice fell to a whisper as he continued. "I can't go back. I am a monster. A filthy devil ready to kill at the word. I bring death." His head slumped forward as his words faded in the air.

A frown darkened Steve's face as he knelt in front of his friend. "You!" He grabbed his friend's blood stained face and forced him to look him in the eyes. "You are not a monster! You are not a weapon! You are not a devil! You can come back and you will come home! I am not going to leave you here. I am not going to just let my comrade, my friend, rot in the jungle! Do you understand me?! Now we are leaving and you are never coming back to this place or any place like it."

Bruce starred in awe at his fellow Avenger as he spoke. How could this man deny what he had seen with his own eyes. How could Captain America say that he was not a monster. He was still awestruck as Steve lifted him in his arms and began heading back for the S.H.I.E.L.D. Camp.

Not a single person batted an eye at Bruce's appearance. They expected the beast to be covered with its mess. They only saw him as a beast that they let off its chain to kill when they told it to, and to return when it was finished.

The only person to speak with him was Lt. Gillem asking if the enemy camp was "clean". Bruce only nodded his head in response and continued to stare at the floor. He remained seated on the cot Steve put him on after cleaning him up while the other agents packed the camp up. After two hours of packing, they were on their way to the States.


End file.
